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1111 Words
I forced myself to ignore the sensation and smiled up at him with saccharine sweetness. “I figured it was the least I could do before you head out.” “And where might I be headed, gorgeous?” A lazy grin softened his features, his eyes hooded. “Anywhere but here. I can even pack food for you to take with you if that would help get you going sooner.” My voice dripped with honey as I loaded up a plate and pressed it into his chest. His hands overlapped with mine as he took the plate from me, lingering longer than necessary. He then lowered his head just a fraction and took in a deep breath. “Smells delicious,” he rasped. “I look forward to savoring … every ... bite.” He was toying with me for waking him, but that knowledge didn’t dampen the effect he had over me. My n*****s pebbled so hard, they ached with the need to be touched. As soon as I could pull air back into my lungs and wrestle my thoughts from their lust-filled haze, I yanked my hands out from beneath his and stepped back. “I’m serious. You need to leave.” Hip propped against the counter, Knight picked up a morsel of food with his fingers and placed the bite into his mouth as if we were friends, chatting over tea. His eyes came back to mine as he began to chew, sucking the juice off his thumb and first two fingers. “What if I told you I’d reconsidered helping you?” His question hung in the air between us, our eyes locked as we attempted to decipher one another’s thoughts. “You thought about it, or you’ve decided to do it?” I was cautious not to get my hopes up prematurely. He had already been teasing me, so perhaps this was still part of his game. He continued to eat as if we were discussing the weather or the appropriate method for cracking an egg rather than discussing the state of my imprisonment. “First, I want to know why you’re so convinced you can find the cauldron when so many others have failed.” A legitimate question. Interesting. I decided to take the bait and play along. Raising a brow, I leaned against the counter to mirror his casual stance. Two feet of space spanned between us, yet it was filled with miles of distrust. “I know because I’ve been there before.” There, let him chew on that for a while. His jaw stopped moving mid-bite, and his eyes narrowed a fraction. The easygoing playboy had disappeared, and the wolf peeked out through Knight’s eyes. “Tell me more,” he ordered. “I’m not going to tell you how to get to it. You’d just go without me.” Surely, he didn’t think I was that big of an i***t. “You tell me more, or I’m not agreeing to this.” He set the plate down on the stove without breaking eye contact with me. “I want to know there’s a legitimate chance we could find the cauldron before I betray the one man who has been my only family.” His amber eyes flashed with an intensity that made goose bumps perch on the skin of my arms. He was serious but still torn. Catching this fish was going to require just the right lure—too flashy and he’d see right through it, not tempting enough, and he’d move on to something better. I would have to give him just enough information to reel him in but not enough to find the cauldron on his own. I forced down the knot in my throat and swallowed. “I spent my years in exile gathering information to make certain I could find it. That’s why I’ve worked so hard to get onto Seelie Lands. The cauldron is here, but I couldn’t get in.” “Why would you need clues if you’ve been there before?” he asked, skepticism clear in his voice. “I was there as a child. I didn’t want to leave it to chance that I could find it again, so I researched every aspect.” “Just because you’ve seen it before doesn’t mean it’ll appear for you again—especially considering all you’ve done since.” He arched a brow at me. Usually, I was excellent at keeping my emotions masked when needed. However, Knight had touched on my greatest fear. My lips pursed together in agitation, both at him and myself. “It’s a chance I’m willing to take. Are you? As far as I can tell, I’m your best bet at getting those memories back. You have to decide if you’re willing to take the risk of freeing me, or if you’re willing to live knowing you never even tried.” My heart pounded at the walls of my chest as seconds ticked by in suffocating silence. Knight edged closer until we were toe-to-toe. “If we do this, it’s on my terms. Specifically, those cuffs stay put, and you will stick with me at all times.” Game, set, match. My heart thrummed in my chest, making me light-headed with excitement. I didn’t want to push my luck, but the use of my magic might be the difference between success and failure. “What if you need my help?” I argued. “Wouldn’t it be safer and give us the best chance of finding the cauldron if I have my magic?” “I gave you my offer. Take it or leave it.” He folded his arms across his chest, telegraphing an air of absolute finality. He was not going to budge, and I wasn’t going to help my position by arguing further. I gave him a single nod. “You figure out how to get me out of this place, and I’ll take you to the cauldron.” “Not a problem. Gather your things, and we’ll go.” We had entered a tentative truce. I hadn’t gotten everything I wanted, but that was the way of negotiation. Everyone walked away with just enough not to be pissed but not nearly enough to be totally satisfied. Technically, my end of the negotiation was still open. In less than a day, Knight had changed his mind about helping me find the cauldron. There was no reason he couldn’t change his mind about the cuffs as well. All I needed was a little time. Lucky for me, we were about to spend every waking minute together.
- Writer
